Life-line ratchet



Patented June 25, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT Y OFFICE This invention is asafety device, which might be termed a "life-line ratchet" and is foruse by painters and similar artisans when working on 'a scaffold or thelike for protecting such artisans 5 against falling and consequentpossible fatal in- -jury; and the invention together with its objectsand advantages will be best understood from a study of the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings 10wherein:

.Figure 1 is an elevational view illustrating the application of theinvention.

Figure 2 is a view of the device with certain parts broken away andshown in section.

II Figure 3 is an elevational view of one of the sections of the frameforming part of the device.

Figure 4 isa transverse sectional view through the device with theratchet mechanism of.the device shown in plan.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary detail elevational view showing the manner ofpivotally connecting the sections of the ratchet device together, and

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view showing in elevation one of thecomplemental ratchet members. I

Referring more in detail to the drawings it will be seen that in. thepreferred embodiment thereof the device comprises a frame consisting ofa pair of complemental substantially U-shaped 30 sections 5 andrespectively.

Each of the sections and 6 has the legs or terminals thereof merginginto semi-cylindrical guide sections 1, the concave faces or surfaces ofwhich are toothed or otherwise provided to 86 present roughened grippingor contact surfaces "2.

Each of the sections 5 and 6, intermediate its respective opposite endsis provided with a through opening 9, which has its upper and lower 40walls flaring from the center to the respective opposite ends thereof asshown.

Mounted in the frame is a ratchet mechanism indicated generally by thereference numeral Ill.

The ratchet mechanism In, in the preferred embodiment thereof, comprisesa pair of complemental head members II and I2 which at one end arepivotally connected together as at l3.

At the free end thereof the head member ll so has pivoted thereto a boltII which is accommodated in a furcation l5 provided in the free end ofthe head member l2. Threaded on the bolt I4 is a wing nut it which, asshown in Figure 4,

when threaded home against the bifurcated end of head member l2 servesto hold the members In a m l2 in the closed position shown in Figme iThe head members H and I2 are complementarily formed as at IT to providea through opening therethrough to accommodate a life-line or 5 rope i8which may be suspended from the top of a building, wall, or the likeupon which work,

such as painting, or the like, is being performed.

The head members II and I2 are provided on the ends of shanks l9. 10

The shank IQ of head member H is accommodated in the opening 9 of theframe member 6 and is-pivoted therein through the medium of a screw orthe like 20,, while the shank l3 of the head member '2 is accommodatedin the opening 9 of the frame member 5 and is pivoted therein throughthe medium of a screw or similar fastening' element 2|. Thus it will beseen that each shank has a slight pivotal movement in the frame sectionto which it is connected.

Mounted on and depending from the head 'member II is what may be termeda jaw or gripping element 22, the same being in the form of asemi-cylinder provided at one end with an attaching flange 23, throughthe medium of which and rivets or other fastening elements 24 saidelement 22 is secured to the head member II and its associated shank l3.

Complementing the member 22 is an arcuate jaw member 25 that at one endis pivoted as at 26 to an ear-equipped plate 21 riveted or otherwisesecured as at 28 to the underside of the shank ll 'of head member l2.The other 'end of the member 25 is pivoted to the frame member 5 as at23.

Each of the members 22, 23 is provided with a concave working surfaceequipped with teeth or otherwise roughened as at 30.

Also, the shanks IQ of the head members II and I2 are provided on thetopsides thereof with 40 stop lugs or dogs 3i.

As shown in the drawings, the life-line or rope I8 is trained throughthe complemental guides 1-1, the opening I! provided by the'complementalformations of the meeting faces of the members II and I2, and betweenthe surfaces 30 of the members 22 and 25.

other support upon which he may be standing,

the belt, through means of the loop Ii. will cause the shank l9 to moveon the pivot 20 and as said shank I9 is connected with the oppositeshank so that the two shanks move in unison, the section 5 will be movedeither upwardly or downwardly and toward the other section 6 so that therope llwill be gripped between the upper and lower members I and betweenthe parts 22 and 25. If the shanks swing downwardly the lug II to theleft in Figure 2 will engage section I to keep the same substantiallystraight so that it will move downwardly and inwardly to cause themembers I and 22 and 25 to grip the cable and if the shanks swingupwardly the lug II to the right in Figure 2 will engage the section 6to keep this section substantially straight during the movement of theparts.

It will be seen that the device is quick-acting in operation and willserve to eifectively break, if not completely prevent the falling of theartisan while at work; and that the same, while simple in constructionand operation, can also be readily used by the artisan without in anywise interfering with his work.

It is believed that a full and complete understanding of the invention,from the foregoing, will be had without further detailed descriptionthereof.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is:

l. A safety device of the character described comprising a two-partframe, said parts being complementarily formed at opposite sides of theframe to provide guides for a life-line, shank members pivotedintermediate their ends to two other sides of the frame, jaws on theinner ends of said shanks provided to accommodate the lifeline trainedtherebetween, said jaw members being pivoted at one end, andcomplementariiy equipped at the end opposite to said pivot for securingsaid jaws in closed condition, each of said jaws having a toothedelement connected therewith for engaging the life-line, and abeltaccommodating loop pivotally connected to the free end of one ofsaid shanks, one of said toothed members being substantiallysemi-cylindrical in cross-section, and the other of said toothed membersbeing substantially semi-cylindrical in cross-section and alsolongitudinally curved, the last-mentioned one of said toothed membersbeing pivoted at one end thereof to one of said jaws and at the oppositeend thereof to one of said frame members.

2. A safety device of the class described comprising a pair ofsubstantially U-shaped members each having gripping jaws at the ends, abar pivotally connected with the bights of the two members with one endof the bar extending outwardly beyond the might of one of the members, abelt engaging loop connected to said extending end of the bar andoutwardly curved stop lugs on the bar and located in the space formed bythe U-shaped members, one stop engaging one of the U-shaped members whenthe bar is moved in one direction and the other lug engaging the otherU-shaped member when the bar is swung in an opposite direction.

3. A safety device of the class described comprising a pair ofsubstantially U-shaped members each having gripping jaws at the ends, abar pivotally connected with the bights of the two members with one endof the bar extending outwardly beyond the bight of one of the members,abelt engaging loop connected to said extending end of the bar andoutwardly curved stop lugs on the bar and located in the space formed bythe U-shaped members, one stop lug engaging one of the U-shaped memberswhen the bar is moved in one direction and the other lug engaging theother U-shaped member when the bar is swung in an opposite direction,said bar having an opening in its middle portion for the passage of arope which passes between the grippin parts at the ends of the u shapedmembers, a stationary jaw attached to the bar and a movable jaw memberhaving one end pivotally connected with the bar and another endpivotally connected with a U-shaped member and said movable jaw membergripping the rope between itself and the stationary jaw member when thebar is moved.

4. A device of the class described comprising a pair of- U-shapedmembers each having jaws at its ends and each jaw being of substantiallysemicircular shape with a gripping surface on its concave face, thebight part of each U-shaped member having an opening passingtherethrough with the opening flaring from the center thereof to eachend, a pair of shanks, one passing through the opening of one U-shapedmember and the other through the opening of the other U-shaped member,each shank being pivoted 'to' the U- shaped member for rocking movementin the opening, a head connected with the inner end of each shank andeach head having a recess therein, the two recesses forming an openingfor the passage of a cable, means for hingedly connecting the headstogether, latch means for holding the heads in contacting relation, oneend of one shank extending outwardly beyond the U-shaped member to whichit is pivoted, a beltengaging loop connected with said extending end, astationary iaw connected with the head of the last-mentioned shank andbeing of substantially semi-circular shape in cross section and arrangedin substantial alignment with a part of the hole formed by the two headsof the shanks, a movable jaw of substantially arcuate shape having oneend pivoted to the opposite shank on its head and its other end pivotedto a part of the U- shaped member to which said last-mentioned shank ispivoted, said movable Jaw gripping a rope between itself and thestationary jaw when the shanks are moved.

5. A device of the class described comprising a pair of U-shaped memberseach having jaws at its ends and each jaw being of substantiallysimicircular shape with a gripping surface of its concave face, thebight part of each U-shaped member having an opening passingtherethrough with the opening flaring from the center thereof to eachother, a pair of shanks, one passing through the opening of one U-shapedmember and the other through the opening of the other U-shaped member,each shank being pivoted to the U-shaped member for rocking movement inthe opening, a head connected with the inner end of each shank and eachhead having a recess therein, the two recesses forming an opening forthe passage of, a cable, means for hingedly connecting the headstogether, latch means for holding the heads in contacting relation, oneend of one shank extending outwardly beyond the U-shaped member to whichit is pivoted, a belt-engaging loop connected with said extending end, astationary jaw connected with the head of the last-mentioned shank andbeing of substantially semi-circular shape in cross section and arrangedin substantial alignment with a part of the hole formed by the two headsof the shank, a movable jaw of substantially arcuate curved stop lug oneach shank and curved toward the bight of the U-shaped member to whichthe shank is connected, said lugs being arranged on the opposite sidesof the shanks from that to which the stationary and movable jaw membersare connected.

MANUEL SILVIA.

